ODST Forerunner Saga: Rory's story
by Altor of Chaos
Summary: Sequel to ODST Feet First into Hell: Rory's story. Crashed landed on a Forerunner planet can Rory figure what is going on before he loses someone close to him? Chapter 2 is now up.
1. Chapter 1

After the events of NYC the rebels were forced back. Without a real leader their movement collapsed upon itself. There was a power struggle that no one won. Then when the UNSC was already about to wipe out the URF the Spartan IV's started going out on the front lines. After that it was over.

Rory was offered a spot in the Spartan IV program but he declined to stay with the Blood Knights. He did not want to leave the last of his squad, the squad that had seen so much action in last war. He wasn't going to just throw away their history to become stronger.

The UNSC is now stronger than ever with only the threat of the Covenant storm with is just a shadow of its former self. The flood have been dealt with the Covenant, the rebels. Every war ended in victory. However, just like the big kid on the playground wins king of the hill all the time it is only a matter of time when a bigger kid comes along and puts him on his ass. And when that day comes the UNSC will be ready. They were not as ready before the Covenant attacked if it wasn't for the Spartan II''s and a lot of luck the UNSC would have been destroyed. So now the UNSC is researching everything they can get their hands on.

They have begun operations all over the Milky Way galaxy, to find and crack all the ancient tech they find. They are preparing for the next big threat. But who could have guess the next threat would be the ancient Forerunners themselves.

XxXxXxXx(Rory's POV)XxXxXxXx

Alarms buzz around the ship. A warning, maybe. I am not to sure so I rush to the the HEVs launch room. Kasey is already there. Conners arrives a moment later.

"Whats going on?" Kasey has to yell over the alarm.

"I'm not sure gear up anyways. Who knows what could be going on." I shout back and move to my locker. I put on the armor quickly and start to radio our NCO.

"Major, Whats going on?"

"Hold Blood Knight," His responds was quick. The alarm doesn't stop and only seems to be getting louder.

"What the hell is going on!" Conners yells. I shrug in reply. The alarm shuts down.

"That was weird." Kasey mutters. I glance around. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.

"Lets hold here for now." I lean back onto the table.

"I don't get it. That seemed like a different alarm than normal," Kasey says. I nod.

"It was."

"Man I've got the creeps." We look to Conners and laugh at him.

"Really this right here gives the creeps not all the other shit we've been through?" I ask between laughs.

"Aw Shut the hell up you two."

The ship suddenly shakes. "Woah!" I yell out and grab onto the table for balance. The alarm starts again.

"All crew members get to battle stations this is not a drill." The voice says in monotone over the intercom.

The ship shook again. And seemed to change direction. It was like they were being pulled toward something. "What the hell!" Another violent shake and I fly into the wall and I see blackness.

XxXxXxXx

I groan and open my eyes.

"What the hell was that?" I ask. I look around I'm no longer in the HEV launch room in fact I'm not sure where I am.

"Rory." Her.

"Hey Tori." I mutter as I stare up at the ceiling. She lays down next to me.

"You know why I am here?" She asks quietly.

"I guessing its because I am running out of time?"

"Correct."

"Could you just talk to me?"

"Talk to you?" She repeats.

"You know like we used to back before you died."

"I would love to but you need to stop wasting time!"

"I miss you." I say just loud enough for her to hear it.

"Keep following the current course, Rory" She turns to look at me and kisses my cheek.

XxXxXxXx(Conner's POV)XxXxXxXx

I struggle to my feet and cough. That was one hell of a crash. I check on Rory and Kasey, both alive. I leave the room and look around.

"Hey trooper this way!" A Spartan yells. I run to him. "We need to secure the ship follow me." I nod and race after him. Damn he is fast, I struggle to keep up. We reach the airlock and we head out side. The site is already alive with work getting done. No one wants to sit around and be ambushed even if there shouldn't be an hostile forces on this planet. Never can trust military intel. We guard the engineers as they set up the guard towers.

"So where is the rest of your squad?" I ask as we watch guard tower being built.

"Doing recon. Yours?"

"They were out cold, that crash hit us good." He nods. "I am Corporal Mick Conners."

"Nice to meet you Corporal I am Gunnery Sergeant Felix Gordon." Gun fire rips through the quiet.

"Contact!" A voice yells. I run towards the noise, rifle raised.

"Forerunner Sentry bots! And a lot of them. Open fire!" a commanding voice yells. I fire at the closest one to me. It takes all of my rifles ammo and the shields don't drop.

"Conners take this!" Felix yells. A large machine gun is tossed to me. I drop the assault rifle and grab the machine gun. "Its a new prototype its called the SAW."

I fire it the recoil is a lot harder to control but it rips apart the sentry bots. I fire and fire and take down more and more. Felix got separated from me and I turn to see him surrounded. I run to help him. Felix's shields flare and he falls to one knee. I jump in front of the beam of energy. I groan, turning and firing the bot explodes. I fall to the ground the burns on my back are overwhelming, I breath out heavy.

"Felix are you ok man?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Shit, We need to get you help." He lifts me help by himself and runs into the ship. I start to black out.

XxXxXxXxXx

My eyes snap open. Something feels different. I feel.. great! I jump up. My movement is faster than ever. "What the hell is going on?"

"Ah you woke up quickly." A military doctor walks in. "It was risky producer, but it was do the operation you let you die."

"Sir," I cough quickly and salute.

"Welcome to the Spartan IV program son.

XxXxXxXx(Rory's POV)XxXxXxXx

I sigh and rub my eyes.

"Rory! Are you ok?" Kasey yells.

"I'm good. What happened.?"

"We crashed."

"How do we crash in the middle of space?" I ask humorlessly.

"We aren't in space anymore idiot we are on a planet. We crashed into the planet."

"What?" I ask confused. He demonstrates with his hands.

"This is us." He lifts one hand. "This is the planet." He lifts the other. "We crashed into the planet." He slams his hands together.

"Thanks a lot smart ass." I groan and sit up. Equipment is tossed all around the room.

"Come on get up we have to secure the crash site." I nod and grab a battle rifle off the ground.

"Lets go." The ship is buzzing with life as we make our way outside. It actually takes almost ten minutes jogging to make it out. I hop down and hit the ground. We are in an open plain so large I can't see the end of it. There are already guard towers set up and checkpoints as well.

"They don't joke around."

"Damn look at all of this shit. Spartan IV's they move fast. Hey, have you been ask to become one?" Kasey asks.

"Yeah."

"And?" I shake my head.

"I said no." He stops walking. I turn and watch him stare at me.

"And why not?"

"I don't know it just doesn't seem right you know?"

"What! When we are done here I'm going to make you enlist in the program."

"Yeah whatever. I'll think about it."

"Scardy cat."

"Shut up Kasey. You have girl's name."

"Asshole." We both laugh and keep walking.

"ODST!" We turn to the voice. Its a spartan with a group of scientists.

"Sergeant Rory Donahue," I say. He salutes.

"Sir, I am Lance Corporal Steve Matthews, I was told by my CO, to find troops to protect this scientists. Can you help us out?"

"Uh, Yeah I guess." He tells the scientists that we would be their guard from here out.

"Two of us for ten civvies awesome." I groan. "Where the hell is Conners."

"Not sure when I woke up he was already gone."

"Perfect." I turn to the lead scientist. "Ok so what is your mission?" He glances to his group.

"Its classified, but we are going to be going to a forerunner ruin."

"Oh I hate those things." Kasey mutters. I nod to Kasey.

"Alright so where is it?"

"Around 50 kilometers west of our location." I sigh.

"I'll request a pelican."

"No need we already have one. This way."

XxXxXxXxXx

The pelican roars to life and takes off. I groan, and Kasey laughs.

"Getting air sick?" He whispers to me.

"Do you have any idea how many pelican crashes I've been in?"

"Like ten?"

"Something like that. It gets old." I drift off into a day dream to pass time. In the dream I'm still at home in college now though, and all my old friends are still alive. I am happy and care free always laughing like I used to. I am shaken out of it.

"Contact! Brace yourselves." The pilot yells.

"Contact, what the hell is on this planet?" I mutter. The pelican dips down and speed increases. I groan. The pilot veers right and explosion bangs off the hull.

"Coming up on the LZ getting ready for a fast landing." In another minute in the pelican comes to a dead stops which nearly knocks me over. The back bay opens up and the scientists scramble off, Kasey and I follow.

"All clear get out of here pilot!" I shout into the pelican. He gives me a thumbs up and takes off. A moment later something that looks like a rocket shoots out and slams into the pelican destroying it.

"Damn it!" I yell out. "Go get inside. Get to cover!" The wind is howling. And dust is getting kicked up. I can barely see anything out on the the plain. I retreat back into the ruins. We are in a small room with a hallway leading into the ruins. I look at the scientists they are visibly shake up.

"Ok I'll go first and Kasey will go last stay between us." The listen with out a question and we move out. We enter the next room, and Forerunner tech starts coming to life. A bullet flies at us. "Fall back!" I shout. Bullets fly past my head. Well not bullets in face I'm not really sure what it is. Forerunner bullets maybe. Most of the scientists made it but a few weren't lucky enough to retreat to the hallway.

"What the hell are these things!" Kasey yells over the noise of their weapons. I look out from behind cover, they look like over grown metal dogs. I fire at one it takes nearly half a clip but it goes down.

"Well we can kill whatever the hell they are so that's a plus." I shout back to Kasey.

In a few short minutes we handle the other forerunner bots. I sigh and tell the scientists to come back in and explain just what the hell is going on here.

"Well this "planet" isn't really a planet for starters." I exchange a glance with Kasey. "And we are here to figure out how, what ,why the forerunners made this. And their weapons are far more advanced than our own. Researching ruins like this could advance our technology by tens of thousands of years! " The scientist says in a fast excited voice. I nod.

"And the catch is we might all be slaughtered by these over grown dogs?"

"Well, yes. But who knows what technology the forerunners possessed, they could change our very way of life!"

"Alright well no reason to stand around talking, you should probably get back to work."

The day passes very slowly, I sigh and lean back on to console my hand propping me up. Lights flash and noise echos through the room.

I spin around and the screen is flashing bright lights very fast. Then I see a clear image for a second. Tori. Pain shoots through my head.

"You are running out of time Rory!" Tori's voice yell in my head. I grab my head and fall to my knees. The pain is overwhelming. I fall to my knees grabbing my head. I scream in pain, and I can barely hear scientists yelling.

"Rory!" Kasey yells and runs over to me. I am still screaming by the time he gets to me. The pain is only increasing.

"Follow this path Rory!" A voice screams into my head.

"What path!" I yell!

"The one you walk that no others will follow you on."

"What does that even mean." I grunt out.

"It will lead you to the end of your story."

"End of my what!" I yell in pain my voice is gruff.

"But it will save the one you most care for."

"Tori!" I scream out and then everything goes black.

XxXxXxXx

I groan the pain in my head is slowly receding. "What in the world was that?" I stand up and the room is dark. So dark I can even see myself. I am not wearing any of my gear, which leads me to believe this is another dream.

"Let me guess Tori?" I ask the room instant flashes white and it blinds me for a second. Tori is standing in the middle of the room. She is in a white dress that reaches down to the floor.

"Wow." I breathe out. "You look incredible." She blushes and turns away.

"Come here." I do so without hesitating. I walk right up nest to her. "You need a hair cut." I grab my hair.

"Yeah it is pretty long isn't it. I almost look like a civvy now."

"You say that its a bad thing,"

"Yeah I guess I did but at this point I don't think I could be a civilian ever again."

"Why not?"

"Well after you... left I saw so many shitty things. I did so many shitty thing to people I hurt and killed people." I pause my voice is cracking a bit. "I killed one of my best friends. In cold blood I shot him dead. He never had a chance." A tear rolls down my cheek. "I killed marines. I killed a eighteen year old kid. He was younger than me for Christ's sake. I keep telling myself that I had to, but I don't even believe me anymore."

"Then believe me, you had to do it Rory if you had died there you wouldn't be able to walk the path you now follow. "

"What path I still don't get it. Does it have to do the Forerunners?"

"Yes but I can't talk about it any more than that. They won't allow me to. Its hard enough just to meet with you."

"Uh what? Meet with me? I thought you were just a coping mechanism."

"After all this time you really thought that I wasn't real?" She turns to me her face angry.

"Uh I don't know what to believe, I saw you die. I mean what would you think?"

"I think if I saw you die, that you would find away to beat death. Cause I have never seen you lose."

"So you are really alive some where?" I ask hope in my voice.

"Remember what I just said." I give her a blank look. "I can't talk about it. I trust you can figure it out."

"I always do." I flash a crooked smile. "I'll save you, I promise. Even if it kills me."


	2. Chapter 2

"Corporal Conners, you must understand now that you are a Spartan you must live up to some pretty high standards." Felix tells me. I nod and rub my head. Its been a day since I woke up in the medical bay, and a week since the crash.

"I get it. But I don't understand why you tell me about my old squad."

"I told you before it has been classified." He has a look of pain in his eyes. That doesn't bold well, I grit my teeth. "Now, no more question. You have to do some training. Your body is a lot different than from a week ago. You are faster, stronger, more durable. You are now an elite. You must preform to a certain code. Come on, follow me." I nod and follow without saying a word.

Rory and Kasey must be in some deep shit, or they're dead. But, if they are dead why would that be classified? I don't get it. Felix leads me through the giant ship. I'm barely looking around though, my mind just keeps playing out different reasons that it would be classified. Maybe they are doing some spec ops mission. But then why not just tell me they are doing a mission? I want to just get some answers that's all. Its been a week since the crash and I haven't heard from them. I suppose it doesn't help that I was unconscious for most of it. I kind of wish I hadn't left the HEV launch room that day a week ago.

Felix leads me to a large room with a training arena inside. Two small buildings are across the room from each other with cover in between the two. He goes into a small room off the main room and I follow. It turns out to be an armory, he tosses me a SAW. I grin and heft it over my shoulder. He grabs a battle rifle, and leaves the armory.

"The rest of the squad is already in position out in the training room. It will be a three on three, attack and defend scenario. We will be attacking first. We jog to the left building, and enter the main room of the small building. There is a woman inside, she is a quiet looking woman with black hair. I swear I have seen her before but I can't place her.

"Introductions later, follow me." He says to me. He then turns to the woman," You know what to do." She nods and dashes off. I look around confused and Felix takes off. I groan and run after him, I am surprised at my speed and nearly trip on my own feet. A gun shot rings out and I am hit in the leg. I stumble and fall behind cover. The training round numbs my left leg and I groan in pain.

Felix slides into cover and takes a pot shot at the building. "Stay down." He mouths to me, I nod and slam my back into cover frustrated. He holds up a three fingers and starts counted down to zero. He gets to zero and I break cover. I run as fast as I can with the limp. I hear two sniper shots ring out. The second one happens so quickly I am almost sure there were two snipers. But then I hear in my head set.

"Two down." A female voice.

"Good work, Conners lay down covering fire I am going around the house." I get into cover in front of the house and open up. The training rounds paint the house red. My thoughts wonder as I reload. She took out two other Spartans that fast? With only two shots. That is incredible. Felix disappears behind the house. I hear more gun fire over the sound off the SAW.

"Felix is down. I am moving up, keep the covering fire up." The same female voice.

"Roger." I reply. I see a black figure running up the side of the arena. Damn she is fast. I stop to reload. More gun fire.

"Target is moving towards the front of the building be ready for him."

"Gotcha." The front door opens up and a large man stumbles out. Red training rounds are on both of his legs and one arm. I pause for a minute. He turns to look behind him back into the house and he fires his pistol into the building. I shake my head and line up my shot. I open up on him. The training rounds knock him to the ground.

"Get inside, now." I hear. I limp towards the house quickly. Once I get there I see the black haired woman. She has a red mark on her side, but she doesn't even seem to notice.

"Didn't we win it was a three on three and we got them all right?"

"Never let your guard down, this training isn't that easy." Bullets start raining into the house.

"What the hell!" I yell and slide behind a downed bookcase for cover.

"Spartan training isn't easy," She repeats herself. "We attacked now we must defend, against a team of ODST." I glance out the window I see about twenty ODST moving closer to the house."Get their attention. I'll be flanking them." She disappears. I open fire and catch two ODST unaware. They fall down and the rest get into cover. I am not sure how she plans on flanking them, there doesn't seem to be a way around all of them.

"Smoke grenade out." An ODST yells. The arena fills with smoke and I fire into the smoke blindly. A training rounds hit my left arm and I groan. I hold the SAW up with one arm and fire back. I hear scream of pain, and another, and another.

"There is a Spartan in the smoke! Open fire!" More screams. The smoke begins to clear. And I am left staring slack jawed. All the ODST are down and She is standing between all of them.

"What the hell?" I mutter.

XxXxXxXx(Kaseys's POV One week ago) XxXxXxXxXx

With Rory still out of it I am left dealing with seven scientists alone. I call the lead one over, he walks over slowly.  
"Yes?" He asks seemingly distracted.

"Listen sir, we have been out for hours. My squad leader is still unconscious. We need to head back to the Infinity." He looks around quickly. The other scientists are still working a a feverish pace.

"Yes, I agree. I for one am personally very interested in what he has to say when he wakes up." He motions at Rory.

"Yeah me too, I'll call command for a pelican. Get packed up." He walks back to the others and tells them the news. "Infinity Command, this ODST Blood Knights requesting pelican evac."

"Roger that Blood Knight, We have you located by your transponder. A pelican is on the way."

"Warn the pilot of a possible enemy element in the area." A minute passes.

"Roger Blood Knight, ETA twenty minutes. Over and out." The voice sounds slightly panicked at the news.

"We have twenty minutes everyone be ready." The work to pack up and I check my rifles ammo. Satisfied I cock my rifle and hold it at the ready. The minutes slowly tick by, and I start to get a nervous feeling in my gut. I take a deep steadying breathe.

"We are set to go Corporal Rogers." I nod. I hear the roar off the pelican

"That's the pelican, follow me." I lead the scientists outside and tell one of them to help me grab Rory. We head back inside the ruins. Without any problems we grab Rory, and once more make our way out. We get outside and the pelican had landed.

"Corporal, we need a hand here, its too heavy for us." A scientist calls over. I walk over to the large artifact and help them carry it on the pelican. I groan as I set it down.

"Damn that was heavy." The rest of the group is on board expect for Rory. I start to head back when an alarm goes off.

"Missile alarm!" The pilot yells. "Hold on tight!" He lefts the pelican off and starts to fly away.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing you left someone behind!" I shout to the pilot. The missile alarm is still going crazy.

"Sorry kid, we can go back for him after we dodge this missile but it will have to be quick. We are siting ducks out here." I nod. The entire pelican rocks as we get hit. I fall to the ground, shaking my head I get to my feet. "We are hit, damn it we lost an engine!" Another missile hits us. I slam into the wall. Everything is very quiet inside the pelican the alarm has stopped going off.

"That's all of them," The pilot sighs out in relief. He however, does not turn around for Rory.

"Where are you going!"

"Listen, we can not head back there. The Forerunner defenses would tear us apart. My main objective is to get those scientists to safety. One ODST trooper is not worth all the info they've collected." He says very quietly.

"Then let me off here I'll go back myself!"

"No can do. I can't risk slowing down." I look around hopelessly.

"Son of a bitch!" I yell and punch the wall.

XxXxXxXxXx

Back at the Infinity I learn about Conners. He is still in surgery and they aren't sure if he will survive. I return to my barracks which is now empty. I walk in and turn the lights on.

"Why is this happening now?" I ask the empty room, I lie down onto my bed. "Damn it." Rory got left behind. I left him behind. And command won't send a rescue behind enemy lines. So Rory is there unconscious and alone, with enemies all around him. And here I am in a comfy bed. I reach under my bed for the contraband bottle of whiskey. I take a long swig and wince as it goes down. Another swig and I put it back under my bed. As the whiskey starts take its desired effect on me I lean back and close my eyes. But sleep doesn't come easily.

XxXxXxXxX(Conner's POV present time) XxXxXxXxXx

That woman took out eighteen ODST only using her hands. I close my mouth and head out to her. "That was incredible." Pain rockets through my stomach. She just hit me. It takes a moment to register.

"Never let your guard down. I already told you that." She swings again, but I dodge by falling to the ground. I struggle back up, both my left arm and leg are still numb. I shift all my weight to my right limbs. Her face is emotionless. I grunt and get closer to her. She sends a kick towards my head, which surprises me due to our large height difference. I get my right arm up to block the kick. Even though I block it the force still sends me to the ground. My arm feels like it just got hit my an eighteen wheeler.

"God damn." I grunt and struggle up once again. However she is on me and pushing me down. I I fall down and struggle to get my side arm. She notices this and stomps on my right arm. I think I hear bones break. I yell in pain.

"You are not cut out to be a Spartan." Coldness flows through her voice. She grabs me by my shirt and start punching me. Again and again. I start to reach for my pistol with my left arm, which is slowly regain feeling. But she isn't let up and I am starting to black out. There! My hand wraps around the pistol and I pull it out and fire. The round hits her in the chest and knocks her to the ground. I slowly sit up and fire at her as she starts getting up. I breath heavily and toss my pistol down.

"What the hell is your problem!" I shout to her unconscious form. The other Spartans are getting up now. Felix and a few other walk over to me. Felix helps me up and sighs.

"She sometimes loses control." He says dejectedly.

"I think she broke my freakin' arm."

"Wouldn't surprise me, she is strong as hell. Lets get you back to the med bay. Jones, Taylor, and Gray get this mess cleaned up. And when she wakes up tell her I need to talk to her."

XxXxXxXx

"A Spartan can't break bones, well it's not impossible but it is a very hard thing to do." The doctor tells me. "So lucky for you, your arm its just a little bruised."

"I could have swore I heard bones cracking." I say bitterly.

"It possible, but the x rays look good. Just take it easy and don't over use that arm." I nod and leave the room. Felix is in the waiting room.

"So?" He asks.

"Its all good I just need to take it easy." I relay the information the doctor gave me. "Anyways, what is her story." He lets out a long sigh.

"She is Ghosts teams problem child. Her scores are one of the highest in the Spartan IV program. Her name is Christa Hayden, she was an ODST before being recruited." He pauses. Even her name seems familiar. "I guess they didn't preform a psych evaluation on her, because sometimes she just loses control. And she is a force of nature at that point. You're lucky you got her off you when you did."

"That's comforting."

"Don't worry about I'll talk to her. Not that it does much good. She doesn't listen."

"If you want I can talk to her." I suggest.

"I don't see how that will help. But you can try if you'd like." I nod, and we head back to our squad room which isn't very far away. Christa is there waiting.

"Christa, Conners here wants to talk to you." Felix says and then leaves the room.

"Hey there Christa. I'm Conners." She is emotionless as before.

"I know who you are."

"Oh? How do you know me?"

"You don't remember me? Why should you? You did leave me to die." I step back shocked.

"What did you say?" I ask.

"You left me to die on a brute planet. All alone wounded in the mud." Just then it hits me.

XxXxXxXx(Flashback Brute Colony Planet 3rd POV)XxXxXxXxX

A marine runs through the jungle his squad following close behind.

"Keep running!" The squad doesn't respond but they move fast. After what seems to be a forever they stop all of them breathing heavy.

"Holy shit." Conners groans. "I hate this shitty planet!" A small laugh comes from another marine. "I don't need to hear it Jessica."

"Don't get snappy with me." She laughs, the squad leader sighs.

"Focus up you two, we could all be dead in a minute."

"Easy up Marcus." Conners mutters. "You're scaring the rook." He is talking about the new quiet blacked haired recruit.

"My name is Christa." She mutters. Marcus groans.

"We need to focus, we are still behind enemy lines. This is the final mission on this hell hole if we complete it."

"We already did our part." Conners complains. "Why can't we call for evac yet?"

"We have to wait for the other squads to finish up, we can't let the brutes know what's going on." Conners nods. "Come on we need to move." They start to jog once again. Night begins to fall and they set up camp.

Two tents are set up with a fire between them. The marines are in a circle around the fire, Conners lets out a yawn and stretches out his legs.

"We are out of the bast zone so we should be safe from brute patrols." Marcus sighs out in relief. Everyone in the squad is letting down their guard.

"I am going to get the rack." Conners says and leaves for the tent.

"That's a good idea. Everyone else should as well, I'll take first watch." Marcus tells everyone. They nod and head to the tents.

XxXxXxXxXx

Dawn comes quick and so does the storm. Howling winds and heavy rain. The squad is now just waiting for the time to call in evac. Conners is sitting lazily in his tent. Jessica walks in to the tent, and sits near him.

"Whats up?" Conners asks.

"I have a bad feeling." Conners laughs.

"We are legitimately just sitting around waiting to call in evac what could go wrong?"

"Remember that mission a couple months ago?" She asks.

"With That ODST team. Rory wasn't it?" She nods. "What about it."

"Well, in that mission no matter where we went we were in danger. Why is it different now?"

"Its been two months and we are on the verge of winning, so there is less enemy resistance." He explains.

"Still it doesn't fine right." He nods, and tells her to relax.

Outside the tent Marcus is keeping watch. A sound in the woods surrounding them gets his attention.

"Hey guys get ready for contact I heard-" A beam rifle fires through the jungle. The beam goes right through Marcus head, he falls dead. Conners rushes out of his tent.

"Rook get out here we have contact. He fires into the jungle randomly. "We are getting out of here!" Christa gets out of her tent and sees Marcus she cries out and freezes up. "Jessica get the rook and get out of here!" Jessica nods and runs for Christa. The Jackal sniper is quicker and fires at Jessica. The round hits her in the leg making her fall.

Jessica yells in pain and rolls over onto her back. "Conners! Help!" Another shot and Christa takes it into the stomach. Conners starts shaking and runs for Jessica and Christa.

"Hold on I got you." He says to Jessica. He takes a look at Christa but she looks dead already. "Here grab on." He reaches down and helps her up. They start running until, another shot rips out through the rain. Jessica stops running making Conners trip up.

"Hey what are you doing?" He says and looks at her. Her eyes are dull and lifeless. "No... No God damn it!" He lets her arm go and runs off. He keeps running, until he can barely stand. He collapses and just lays there. The storm lets up and he groans. His legs are on fire. But still he walks on. Until he reaches a large battle. Brutes marines everywhere. Glancing up he notices two ODST drop pods. They land in a group of brutes.

"They are going to need help." Conners says to himself and he takes off running. The ODST engage the brutes and, one of them is grabbed and lifted into the air.

"Get off him you dirty monkey!" Conners yells. He jumps onto the brute and stabs the brute over and over.

"Conners!" One of the ODST calls out. Conners remembers the voice.

"I don't know that many ODST that gets himself into this much trouble all the time, so I'm guessing that's you Rory." Rory nods and laughs.

"Where is your platoon?" Rory asks.

"...Gone."

XxXxXxXx(Present time Conners POV)XxXxXxXx

"Holy shit." I mutter. "I saw you get hit through the stomach. I thought you were dead." I ramble.

"Guess not huh?" Christa says scornfully. "I lived and crawled to the evac zone." She shifts and leans against a wall.

"I... I'm sorry I didn't know." The memories of that mission were deeply hidden in my mind. I never wanted to think about it again. "It all happened so fast, I didn't know what to do. Everyone just started dropping. I never even thought that someone else could have made it. I am so sorry."

"You... I should apologize." Christa says quietly. "I didn't mean to." I laugh warmly.

"Don't worry, I don't hold grudges. I am just glad we got through that." She nods and leaves the room. Felix walks back in.

"Well?" He asks.

"It is all good."

XxXxXxXx(Kasey's POV Six days ago)XxXxXxXx

With Conners still in med bay and Rory MIA, I was assigned to a new squad for the time being. I sigh as the new squad leader chews us out.

"What was the Rogers!" He yells. I catch my tongue before I say something stupid.

"Nothing sir."

"You might be new here but don't think you aren't the same as these maggots."

"Yes sir."

"Now we are going to run the drill again and again! Until we get it down right, we don't need the Spartans embarrassing us anymore."

The rest of the day goes by the same way running stupid drills in the training room. I make my way back to my new barracks.

"Hey Rogers?" One of the other members of the squad comes up to me

"Kasey is fine."

"I am Frank." I nod.

"I remember your name Frank. I just met you." He laughs nervously.

"I wasn't sure. You are a vet of the Covenant war right?" I nod. "I was wondering what it was like."

"It was hell."

"Do you think we will be seeing anymore fighting like that?"

"How should I know?"

"It just you have a lot more time in ODST than anyone in my squad." I laugh.

"I'm not even that old. I am only twenty two."

"Oh umm. It's just... I mean." He stutters nervously.

"Hey don't worry about it. And for the other thing don't worry about that either. As long as you remember your training you will be fine, you didn't be an ODST for no reason." He smiles and thanks me before running off.

"What an odd kid." Someone laughs across the room.

"Oh I didn't see you there, Gwen was it?" She nods.

"You'll get used to our little ragtag group of misfit ODSTs."

"No offensive but I hope not. I am hoping to go back to my squad just a soon as they get better. And found." I mutter the last part.

"I am sure they will be fine. I have heard about you guys."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep, about a lot of you missions, successes and failures." I wince at the last part. "You sure did seem to go through a lot of members."

"What did you just say!" I say anger seeping into my voice.

"Oh nothing just facts."

"Keep it up, I'll show you just what a Blood Knight is capable of." I say dangerously quiet.

"Hey, no need to get mad I was just leaving anyways." Something tells me this is going to suck. XxXxXxXx(Rory's POV Six days ago)XxXxXxXxXx

My eyes open slowly. My body is stiff, I roll onto my stomach and push myself up. Looking around I'm outside the ruins alone. "Where the hell is everyone?"

"Ah you are awake." A Forerunner Monitor floats near me.

"What the hell are you?" I ask and reach for my weapons only to realize they're missing.

"I am 042."

"042? Just numbers?"

"Yes. My creators didn't seem to believe that I needed a name."

"What are you exactly?" I sigh, this is getting confusing.

"I am a monitor, I am here to help you follow the path."

"What God damned path!" I shout.

"The one of rebirth." It says simply.

"These answers are really bugging me!" I shout again. It simply floats there. "Listen 042 was it? I need to know what to do. I want to follow this "path" but I have no idea what it is."

"I see. Maybe some explication is in order. But not here not now. For now follow me." I nod and follow, as he floats back into the ruins. The Scientists and Kasey are gone.

"My friends, where are they?"

"We made them leave you here. I assure you they are fine." I bite my tongue to stop myself from talking anymore. We head deep inside the ruins. All around the forerunner bots are up but now they don't seem interested in me. It leads me to a console. "Place your hand here." I do so after a moment of thinking.

The console comes alive and a bunch of gibberish shows up on screen. "What is this?"

"This is the key to rebirth."

"Say again?"

"Rebirth, the art of bring someone back from the dead."

"I... don't seem to be following you. How is that even possible?"

"That is not for me to explain. But don't worry it shall be in time."

"So then what do we do from here?"

"You must travel to another installation. This one is just the start. My creators made this process near impossible to stop it from falling into the wrong hands."

"Another installation? Like halo?"

"Exactly."

"So we are on an installation right now?"

"Yes."

"Forerunners could build planets, Jesus Christ. Even building a planet isn't the same as bring someone back to life though that still doesn't seem possible."

"In a way you are right."

"I am not going to get anything out of you am I?" It remains silent. I sigh. "I can't just leave, I have to follow protocol."

"Ah yes your UNSC must not know about this."

"Excuse me?"

"You alone are going to walk this path." I remember the voice had said the same thing.

"I can't just disappear!"

"They already left you here in enemy territory. They have given up on you." I grit my teeth, A choice is now laid out in front of me. Tori or the UNSC. It was easy.

"Okay, where do we go now?"

"Good to see you are reasonable." I nod. 042 leads me to a portal, "This will lead you to the next part of the part. But, beware not all of the remaining Forerunner bots want the same thing."

"How am I suppose to stop them from killing me with no weapons?" It floats to a locker looking thing. It opens as he gets close.

"Take on of these." I walk up and take one.

"What is it?"

"Your human brothers call it the suppressor." I nod.

"This is going to be one hell of a trip." And without looking back step into the portal.


End file.
